Expectations
Commitment It all starts with commitment. All players are expected to be at all practices and games. Practices are twice a week for at least 1 ½ hours. Players must be at practice to improve their individual and team skills. While missing practice is detrimental to an individual player’s development, it also hurts the team growth. Playing time at every level is dependent upon effort and attendance in practice. It is unrealistic to give significant playing time to a player who does not attend practice. Doing so is not in the best interest of a team, or its growth. Again, attendance and effort at every practice are critical for both the player and the Team.
During the XYBA season, no XYBA player may participate or play on any other basketball team.
Practices When feasible we will practice with players from an entire grade at the same time. Practices will focus on individual and team skill sets. There will be limited scrimmaging. These practices are intended to be significantly more intense physically and mentally than middle school or recreational practices. Our practices will require significant conditioning, listening and attention to detail
Tournaments Tournament games will be scheduled from Friday evenings to Sunday afternoon. Many weekends, the teams will play three to seven games. While most games will be within an hour drive, you may have games which require overnight stays. When your team is participating in a tournament it is very difficult to devote time to anything but the tournament. Trying to play another sporting event (soccer, baseball, wrestling etc) in the same day/weekend is highly discouraged. XYBA should be your number 1 sports priority during that season.
Note: Tournament play is scheduled on the weekend. This may involve games being played anytime Friday evening, anytime on Saturday, and anytime on Sunday. Games may be played on Sunday mornings. Even though we are an organization supporting a Catholic-affiliated high school, we recognize that Sunday morning games will conflict with traditional religious services; we cannot control the scheduling of tournaments that play at those times. For the 6-10 weeks that your son or daughter is playing XYBA, we ask that you make the necessary arrangements to schedule around tournaments and tournament games times.
Coaches Coaching will be done by parent and community volunteers at all levels. When possible we will try to have non-parents at the upper levels. If you have a concern about a coach, reread XYBA Team expectations and, only if you believe there to be an infraction of the expectations, call the Boys/Girls Director. The Directors will not substitute their judgment over the coach’s. At no time (practice or games) should the coach be confronted in public. All coaches will be selected by the XYBA board.
Cost XYBA requires a membership fee which varies upon grade level. This total must be paid before the player plays in any games. In addition, all parents are required to volunteer time at tournaments sponsored by XYBA. You will receive information about volunteer opportunities. It is our intent that as the organization creates a financial foundation, we will be able to provide equipment for the high school program.
Philosophy XYBA has different philosophies at various grade levels. Generally, we work at the basic skill levels in fourth grade. When players reach 8th grade, practices and game play will be come increasingly competitive. In the fourth grade, we play to gain experience and learn. By eight grade, we play to win tournaments. See the various grade levels above for specifics on the philosophy for each grade level.